Piper PA-28-181 accident near Montauk, New York, July 31, 2007
On July 31, 2007 at about 3:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N284HP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Montauk, New York (Montauk Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's delayed decision to abort the landing, which resulted in an impact with a tree.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 31, 2007 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- Montauk, New York · Montauk Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N284HP · registry record · serial 2843372
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Following an uneventful flight, the pilot approached the destination airport. While turning on to the final leg of the traffic pattern, the pilot saw an airplane pulling out from the apron and onto the runway. The pilot elected to make a 360-degree right turn in order to provide additional space between himself and the other airplane. He then continued the approach, but "came in too high and therefore floated too far along the runway." After touching down once, the airplane "ballooned," then contacted the runway again "hard." With insufficient runway remaining, the pilot decided to go-around. As the airplane accelerated, the pilot turned the airplane to the left to avoid striking the trees ahead of him; however, the left main landing gear struck one of the trees, and the airplane subsequently impacted the ground.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 263 hours in all; 67 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BVY Beverly MA
- Destination: MTP Montauk NY
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 6, 3,481 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 pm from GON, 16 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.